Juxtaposition
by toothlessturtle21
Summary: After coming back from a battle, Kai attempts to convince Zane that throwing himself into harm's way to protect him isn't acceptable behavior. Will the Ice Ninja listen, or will his annoyingly selfless mindset win out over his exasperated boyfriend?


Put mostly simply, they were fire and ice. Literally. If you were to see a bullet point list of all of the ninja's personality traits, you would look at them and cringe. Impulsive versus calculating. Feeling versus thinking. They were yin and yang, hot and cold, the left and right brain incarnate. Yet somehow, they made it work. The two hadn't started off well, sure, but they grew on each other slowly, even more so than anyone could have imagined. Yes, the Fire and Ice Ninjas were dating.

Currently, the two were having one of their off days, where the true qualities of their elements shone through.

"I'm not letting you take the hits for me," Kai grit his teeth as Zane poked around in his wrist panel. "I don't care what you say."

"If you do not take my words into consideration, it will be no different to me. I will continue my course of action regardless," Zane said with a straight face, and the Fire Ninja felt a growl rise in his throat.

"Like hell you will," Kai scowled, but sat next to Zane on the bed regardless, peering at his partner as he tinkered away at the newest dent that had been acquired during a scuffle an hour prior.

"I am afraid this is one matter where I am immovable. It would be very difficult to convince me otherwise," The Nindroid contended. Kai let his head thunk onto Zane's shoulder, and the Ice Ninja reached a hand up to run his fingers through his boyfriend's hair.

"Zane," Kai started, voice unusually soft. "Let me talk for a minute, ok?"

Zane nodded in understanding, continuing to poke at the dent.

"I know you think that your life is worth less because you're a robot or something, but I just want to let you know that it's bullshit," Kai saw Zane bite the inside of his cheek, but the Nindroid honored the agreement and didn't say anything. "If you're going to go down in a fight, I don't want it to be because you took a bullet for me. I wouldn't be able to live with myself. Just... think before you do stuff like that, alright? Please?"

Zane simply stared at the Fire Ninja for a moment before nodding slowly, wrapping the arm that had been in Kai's hair around his waist instead. Kai waited for a response, but the Ice Ninja appeared to be collecting his thoughts, resting his cheek on Kai's hair while his eyes took on a pensive glaze.

"I suppose I cannot stand the thought of you dying," Zane mumbled, closing his eyes. "Just the thought is enough to get me upset. I am more than willing to sustain injury if it means you are safe, even if that means you grow angry with me. I would rather you resent me than having to bury your body."

"Zane, I'm not going anywhere," Kai readjusted their position so he could cup his boyfriend's face in his hands. "You don't need to act as my shield, I won't die. I promise."

Zane buried his face in the crook of Kai's shoulder, and the Fire Ninja made a hum of sympathy.

"I apologize. I am normally more composed than this," The Nindroid mumbled, and Kai rubbed slow circles into his back.

"Don't apologize. You're fine." Kai huffed, and the two stayed in this position for a while, and the Fire Ninja almost thought that Zane had fallen asleep on him until he stirred, pressing a lazy kiss on the side of Kai's neck. "Someone's cuddly today."

"Yes, but you love it."

"Damn right I do," Kai smirked, and tipped him and Zane backwards so he could mold his stomach to the Ice Ninja's back. "Which is why I'm the big spoon today."

"If you insist," Zane murmured, entangling his legs with his companion's with a subtle sigh of contentment. Usually he preferred being able to wrap his arms around Kai, but the hothead didn't seem to be in the mood for negotiation. Jay would walk in later, careful not to wake the sleeping ninja, and fix the remaining damage without a word.

* * *

Kai considered that conversation a half-success. Sure, Zane acknowledged his viewpoint and had confessed his own, but he had never agreed to stop his self-destructive behaviors. The Fire Ninja eyed his boyfriend as they ate breakfast the next day, the Ice Ninja blissfully unaware, reading the back of the cereal box sitting in front of him.

"Sheesh Kai, save the bedroom eyes for tonight, huh?" Cole teased, and Kai's cheeks flushed.

"Shut up, not thinking about that," He waved the Earth Ninja off, who snickered as he exited with his granola bar.

"Bedroom eyes?" Zane turned his gaze to Kai. "I am unfamiliar with that term. What does it mean?"

"It's the look you give someone when you want sex," The Fire Ninja explained, used to Zane's awkward misunderstandings, and the Nindroid nodded.

"So you were not giving me 'bedroom eyes'?" Zane snickered, taking a sip of his orange juice. Kai swatted his arm with a roll of his eyes.

"Pfft, you wish. Maybe later," He winked, and it was Zane's turn to blush.

"Get a room!" Cole yelled from the gaming room, and the two laughed heartily, their hands somehow finding time to link together in between the fits of giggles.

"Seriously though, we still need to talk," Kai stated, not a question, and Zane nodded, holding up a finger as a sign to let him finish his cereal.

After breakfast, the two were reclined on the gaming couch, Zane resting on Kai's chest, using his pectoral muscles as very comfortable pillows.

"So about our conversation yesterday, we never actually reached a conclusion."

Zane nodded, hoping that this wouldn't turn into an argument. "What is there to conclude?"

"I need you to promise me that you won't throw yourself into harm's way to try and protect me," Kai braced himself for the Nindroid's outburst, but Zane just sighed, snaking an arm around Kai's stomach.

"I am not going to win this, am I?"

"Nope," Kai grinned, and Zane couldn't help but smile back.

"Okay, Kai. I give in. I promise I will not put myself into harmful situations for you, even though it makes logical sense," Zane tacked on, and Kai almost started to argue that point, but decided that was for another day and let the Ice Ninja rest. At least he had gotten a definite answer.

"Thanks," Kai smiled into Zane's hair, and the two said nothing more basking in the company of their opposite, content in the juxtaposition they created.


End file.
